Introduction

The Ethiopian premier league is the top most football division in Ethiopia which is regulated
by the overseeing body, the Ethiopian Football Federation. It is currently contested by sixteen
clubs, and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the secondary and tertiary
leagues in Ethiopia. The premier was created in 1997 G.C by replacing the previous First
Division which was created in 1944 G.C. The club Saint George F.C. is the leading champion
in the premier league era with 14 titles (29 top flight titles overall).

Competition Format

The competition is currently contested by 16 clubs which compete for the title of Ethiopian
Premier League champions. The season lasts usually from October until May which currently
consists of 30 match days for each club. During this period the each club plays the remaining
15 clubs twice, once at home ground and once at the opponents ground.

For every win, teams receive three points; while they receive one point for a draw. There are
no points awarded for a loss.

The competing teams are ranked by total points; if the teams are level on points they will be
separated by goal difference; if they are still level on the goals scored. The three lowest
placed teams with the lowest total points tally at the end of the season are relegated into the
Ethiopian Higher League (second tier of Ethiopian football) and the top three teams from the
Higher League are promoted in their place.

Related Championships and Competitions of the Ethiopian Premier League

Some of the Competitions related to the premier league include:

 Ethiopian Cup (The league cup of the premier league, Equivalent of FA Cup of
English premier league)

 Ethiopian Supercup (The Cup championship between the winners of the premier
league and the Ethiopian Cup, Equivalent of Community-Shield Cup of English
Premier League)

 Addis Ababa City Cup (A tournament held pre- start of each premier league season
 between the teams that are based in Addis Ababa which compete in the league.)

Furthermore, The Second and Third tier competitions of Ethiopian Football are:

 Ethiopian Higher League (Second Tier of Ethiopian Football)

 Ethiopian First League (Third Tier of Ethiopian Football)

Qualification for African competitions

 The winner of the Ethiopian Premier League automatically qualifies for the following
year's CAF Champions League preliminary round.

 The winner of the Ethiopian Cup qualifies for the preliminary round of the CAF
Confederation Cup.

Clubs for the 2018-19 Season

The following 16 clubs are competing in the Ethiopian Premier League during the 2018-19
season.

1. Adama City F.C.

2. Bahir Dar Kenema F.C.
3. Debub Police F.C.
4. Dedebit F.C.
5. Defence F.C.
6. Dire Dawa City F.C.
7. Ethiopian Coffee F.C.
8. Fasil City F.C.
9. Hawassa City F.C.
10. Jimma Aba Jifar F.C.
11. Mekelle 70 Enderta F.C.
12. Saint George F.C.
13. Shire Endaselassie F.C.
14. Sidama Coffee F.C.
15. Welwalo Adigrat University F.C.
16. Wolaitta Dicha F.C.
Champions

19 Clubs have won the top division title of Ethiopian Football since its start in 1944. This list
includes clubs from Eritrea which played their football in Ethiopia until 1994.

No Number
Name of Club Winning Years
. of Titles
1950, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1975,
1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992,
Saint George S.C. (Including 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998–99, 1999–00,
1 29
the previous Brewery F.C.) 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06,
2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12,
2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956,
2 Mechal (Now Defense F.C.) 11
1976, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1989
3 Cotton F.C. 5 1960, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1983
Asmara (includes Hamassien)
4 4 1955,1957,1972,1973
[now in Eritrea]
5 Tele S.C. [now in Eritrea] 3 1959, 1969, 1970
6 EEPCO 3 1993, 1997–98, 2000–01
Embassoria (includes Akale
7 2 1958,1974
Guzay) [now in Eritrea]
8 Ethio- Cement 2 1961,1964
9 Ethiopian Coffee 2 1997, 2010–11
10 Hawassa City 2 2003–04, 2006–07
British Military Mission –
11 1 1944
BMME
12 Key Baher 1 1948
13 Medr Babur 1 1977
14 Ogaden Anbassa 1 1978
15 Omedla 1 1979
16 Tegl Fre 1 1980
17 Ermejachen 1 1981
18 Dedebit 1 2012–2013
19 Jimma Aba Jifar 1 2017–2018

*Teams in Bold are still active.

Top Goal Scorers per year since the inception of the Ethiopian Premier League in 1997
G.C

No. Player Club goals were Goals Scored Year

scored with
1. Getaneh Kebede Dedebit 25 goals in 30 2016–17
(Ethiopian) matches
2. Yordanos Abay EEPCO 24 goals in 26 2000–01
(Ethiopian) matches
3. Okiki Afolabi (Nigerian) Jimma Aba Jifar 23 goals in 30 2017–18
matches

* Getaneh Kebede holds the record for most goals in a single Ethiopian Premier League
season at 25 while Okiki Afolabi is the highest Non-Ethiopian goal scorer with 23 goals.

Television Rights

Previous to the formation of private television channels in Ethiopia, matches were only rarely
broadcast on the State Run ETV. However, after the formation of this private channels and
other government owned channels, some matches have been and are being broadcast on these
channels. However, none of the Television channels operating in Ethiopia have an agreement
for broadcasting the Ethiopian Premier League with the Ethiopian Football Federation.
Recently, the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) was negotiating with different TV stations
for the rights to the Ethiopian Premier League. However, No official agreement has been
reached between EFF and the TV stations.
History

Beginning History

The first Ethiopian Football League was started on 1944. It incuded five teams and was won
by the team, British Military Mission in Ethiopia (BMME). For the next three years, the
league was not contested between the teams. Until 1997, the football league was known as
First Division Football.

After different teams contested in the league for several years, the league went through
changes in the 1990s culminating in the founding of the Ethiopian Premier League in 1997
(1990 E.C.) by the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) and the teams that made up the top
division of Ethiopian Football.

Premier League History

The inaugural 1997-98 Ethiopian Premier League Season was won by Ethio Electric
(EEPCO).

The following year the league decided to increase the number of teams to 10, and St.George
S.C lifted their first Premier League trophy. St. George won the title again the following year
(1999-00 season).

The 2000-01 seasons saw Ethio Electric (EEPCO) win its second Premier League title. The
striker Yordanos Abay score what was then a record 24 goals. This record would stand for 16
years until being broken by Getaneh Kebede during the 2016-17 season.

The following season (2001-02 season), St. George won the title.

The 2002-03 season saw St. Goerge win the title. However, this was the season the first real
contenders from outside the Addis Ababa pushed for a Premier League title.

The 2003-04 season saw the championing of the first Non- Addis Ababa based team as
Hawassa City F.C. won the premier league.

The following two seasons (2004-2005 and 2005-2006) were won by St. George S.C.
The 2006-07 season saw Hawassa City winning their second title.

After this, the next three consecutive seasons (2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010) were
dominated by St. George S.C.

In 2010-2011 season, the Ethiopian Coffee F.C., St. George's biggest and most bitter rivals,
won their first Premier League title.

St. George came back the next season and won the title in 2011-12.

In 2012-2013 season, Dedebit F.C. were crowned champions for the first time in their history.

For the next four years, (2013-2014 until 2016-2017), St. George won the premier league title
consecutively.

In the 2017-18 season, the premier league saw the crowning of a team from the Oromia
region as the premier league debutants Jimma Aba Jifar won the premier league for the first
time.